1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to draw sheets for bedding, and more particularly to disposable draw sheets made of lightweight plastic to the top of which is secured a liquid absorbent layer or pad.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art disposable draw sheets such as are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,308,488 issued to Schoonman Mar. 14, 1967 and 3,646,624 issued to Zipf Mar. 7, 1972 have been made of very thin sheets of plastic material such as polyolefins, particularly polyethylene, which is an inexpensive, water-proof material. Because of the necessity for keeping the cost of disposable draw sheets to a minimum, the polyethylene sheeting is usually made as thin as possible, short of its being able to function for the purpose intended. The result is that such draw sheets are difficult to handle particularly when a nurse or hospital attendant attempts to place these articles upon a mattress and tuck them under the mattress so that they are secured in place. The disposable draw sheets are delivered folded and the folded over portions stick together so that the thin edges are difficult to locate merely by feeling for them. It will be understood that in hospital use these draw sheets are placed upon the mattress with the absorbent side facing up. The nurse then reaches underneath the folded draw sheet, has to locate the edge of the sheet which is folded underneath major portions of the sheet, pull it out until it drapes over the edge of the mattress and tuck it beneath the mattress. The patient, meanwhile, has been rolled away, at least partially, from the folded draw sheet and once one side is tucked in, the patient is rolled to the opposite side while the nurse once again reaches under the draw sheet for the very thin edge of the plastic. In addition, when attempting to push the plastic underneath the mattress, the thin plastic material is hard to force under the mattress, without tearing, to produce a tight foldfree surface for the patient.
In the manufacture of U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,624 the plastic material is made in the form of an elongated tube in which the opposed sides are brought together in almost abutting relationship beneath the portion of the plastic to which the absorbent pad is secured. This structure makes it even more difficult for the user to locate the edge of the sheet so that it can be pulled out from underneath the draw sheet.